California Penal Code § 490.5– Civil Demand Letters in Shoplifting Cases
California Penal Code § 490.5– Civil Demand Letters in Shoplifting Cases
California Penal Code § 490.5 deals with civil demand letters in shoplifting cases. A civil demand letter asks for payment for any losses the retailer incurred because of a person’s alleged shoplifting. The law authorizes retailers to demand damages of not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500), plus costs from the alleged shoplifter. Consequently, the amount of money requested in a civil demand letter can often greatly exceed the value of the items that were attempted to be taken or were taken.
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